“Ormond.
“Dublin Castle, the 6th of April, 1646.”
The following letter from the King, dated the 20th of July, 1646,[E] originally written in cipher, while it shows the estimation in which he justly held the Earl of Glamorgan, only throws a darker shade on his own mysterious and inexplicable line of policy. The Earl’s zeal and unbounded confidence in his Royal Master (determining rather to die in his service than to break faith with him), served, as they well might to continue him in his favour:—
“Glamorgan,
“I am not so strictly guarded, but that if you send to me a prudent and secret person, I can receive a letter, and you may signify to me your mind, I having always loved your person and conversation, which I ardently wish for at present more than ever, if it could be had without prejudice to you, whose safety is as dear to me as my own. If you can raise a large sum of money by pawning my kingdoms[F] for that purpose, I am content you should do it; and if I recover them, I will fully repay that money. And tell the Nuncio, that if once I can come into his and your hands, which ought to be extremely wished for by you both, as well for the sake of England as Ireland, since all the rest, as I see, despise me, I will do it. And if I do not say this from my heart, or if in any future time I fail you in this, may God never restore me to my kingdoms in this world, nor give me eternal happiness in the next, to which I hope this tribulation will conduct me at last, after I have satisfied my obligations to my friends, to none of whom am I so much obliged as to yourself, whose merits towards me exceed all expressions, that can be used by
“Your constant Friend,
“Charles R.
“From Newcastle, July 20th, 1646.”
On receipt of this letter in Ireland, a copy of it was sent to the Pope, who is related to have shed tears, with mingled feelings of gratification and sorrow, the King’s circumstances being so desperate; while at the same time his determination to favour the Irish and English Roman Catholics in all their demands was, to all appearance, proportionably increased. The Earl of Glamorgan, on his part, sent his suggestions and devised a plan for his Majesty’s safe conduct to Ireland; but the scheme either failed or was abandoned.
On the 30th of August, the Earl addressed a long letter to the Lord Lieutenant,[G] when he must have been unaware of the fate of Raglan Castle:—